Cover Launch: THE FIRST OMEGA by Megan E. O’Keefe

Megan E. O’Keefe proved she’s a science fiction master with her debut trilogy The Protectorate and now she’s bringing her prodigious talents to bear in this razor-sharp, action-packed new dystopian novella: The First Omega. Get excited to meet Riley—a hunter of men, a protector of the wasteland, and a goddamn force of nature—on March 30th.

Cover design by Lauren Panepinto and Lisa Marie Pompilio
Cover images by Shutterstock

Mad Max meets X-Men in this high-octane new dystopian novella by the Philip K Dick award-nominated author of Velocity Weapon.

It doesn’t matter what you call her. Riley. Burner. She forgot her name long ago. But if you steal from the supply lines crossing the wasteland, her face is the last one you’ll see. She is the force of nature that keeps the balance in the hot arid desert. Keep to yourself and she’ll leave you well enough alone. But it’s when you try to take more than you can chew that her employers notice and send her off to restore the balance. Then she gets the latest call. A supply truck knocked over too cleanly. Too precise. And the bodies scattering the wreckage weren’t killed by her normal prey of scavengers. These bodies are already rotting hours after the attack. Cowering in the corner of the wreckage is a young girl. A girl that shouldn’t be there. A girl with violently blue eyes. Just like hers.

Want to read more from the author? Check out VELOCITY WEAPON (US | UK) book one of The Protectorate.

Acquisition Announcement: THE CITY OF DUSK by Tara Sim

It’s a great day for fantasy fans! Orbit is delighted to announce the acquisition of Tara Sim’s sweeping adult epic fantasy trilogy, the Dark Gods, beginning with THE CITY OF DUSK.

Set in a gorgeous world of bone and shadow magic, of vengeful gods and defiant chosen ones, THE CITY OF DUSK follows the four heirs of four noble houses—each gifted with a divine power—as they form a tenuous alliance to keep their kingdom from descending into a realm-shattering war. If you like your fantasy packed with demons and danger, family rivalries and forbidden romance, this is the series for you.

Orbit US senior editor Priyanka Krishnan acquired world rights from Victoria Marini at the Irene Goodman Agency. You can read more about the book below, and while you wait for it to hit the shelves in spring 2022, follow Tara Sim on twitter @EachStarAWorld, and check out her YA novels (the Scavenge the Stars duology and the Timekeeper trilogy) at www.tarasim.com!

The Four Realms—Life, Death, Light, and Darkness—all converge on the city of dusk. For each realm there is a god, and for each god there is an heir.

But the gods have withdrawn their favor from the once vibrant and thriving city. And without it, all the realms are dying.

Unwilling to stand by and watch the destruction, the four heirs—Risha, a necromancer struggling to keep the peace; Angelica, an elementalist with her eyes set on the throne; Taesia, a shadow-wielding rogue with rebellion in her heart; and Nik, a soldier who struggles to see the light— will sacrifice everything to save the city.

But their defiance will cost them dearly.

Cover Launch: THE DRAGON OF JIN-SAYENG by K. S. Villoso

In this incredible finale to the critically acclaimed Chronicles of the Bitch Queen series, Queen Talyien finally takes back her throne – and what a sight it is to behold. Feast your eyes on this glorious cover, depicting Talyien at the peak of her power, determined to unite her people against the enemies who threaten to tear her country apart. #HailTheBitchQueen indeed!

Art by Simon Goinard. Design by Lauren Panepinto

THE DRAGON OF JIN-SAYENG  (US | UK) releases in May.

Queen Talyien is finally home, but dangers she never imagined await her in the shadowed halls of her father’s castle.

War is on the horizon. Her son has been stolen from her, her warlords despise her, and across the sea, a cursed prince threatens her nation with invasion in order to win her hand. 

Worse yet, her father’s ancient secrets are dangerous enough to bring Jin-Sayeng to ruin. Dark magic tears rifts in the sky, preparing to rain down madness, chaos, and the possibility of setting her nation aflame.

Bearing the brunt of the past and uncertain about her future, Talyien will need to decide between fleeing her shadows or embracing them before the whole world becomes an inferno.

Praise for The Chronicles of the Bitch Queen

“The power plays are woven tightly into the action, as Villoso broadens her worldbuilding and adds some surprising twists … A must for epic fantasy readers.” —Library Journal (starred review)

“Villoso crafts believable, complex characters and spices up the politics with dragons and magic. Fantasy readers will enjoy this intricate epic and be pleased by the broadening scope of the series.” —Publishers Weekly 

“The Wolf of Oren-yaro is intricate, intimate, and intensely plotted. Full of subtle poignancy and remarkably genuine characters-even the rotten ones. I loved this book.”   —Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld

“Intimate and epic. It compels you to read on, because it’s a story about people not characters, civilizations not settings, and deadly power plays not sanitized throne-room politics.”   —Evan Winter, author of The Rage of Dragons

“Deeply compelling and wonderfully entertaining, The Wolf of Oren-yaro feels at once timely and timeless. K. S. Villoso’s lush and finely crafted world envelops readers from the first page, as she takes us on an adventure full of heartache, hope, and triumph. It’s a fabulous read!”   —Josiah Bancroft, author of Senlin Ascends

“A tale balanced on the blade’s-edge between intrigue and action – and then Villoso twists the knife.”   —Gareth Hanrahan, author of The Gutter Prayer

“[A] remarkable tale of nonstop tension, action, and betrayal . . . This excellent work will appeal to all readers of epic fantasy.”   —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Villoso’s debut draws on Filipino culture and myths to create a detailed fantasy world and uses the first person narrative of a beleaguered queen to explore a tale of secrets, lies, betrayal, and treason.”   —Booklist

“K.S. Villoso dismantled the heavily stereotyped strong female character within epic fantasy and built it anew. Queen Talyien is flawed, beautifully so, making her one of the more realistic female characters I’ve read to date.”    —Hypable

Art by Simon Goinard. Design by Lauren Panepinto

 

Acquisition Announcement: KAIKEYI by Vaishnavi Patel

Redhook is thrilled to announce the acquisition of KAIKEYI, Vaishnavi Patel’s sweeping, powerful, and provocative debut, which reimagines the life of Kaikeyi, the long-vilified queen of the Indian epic the Ramayana.

“I was born on the full moon under an auspicious constellation, the holiest of positions—much good it did me.”

So begins Kaikeyi’s story, that of a young woman determined to create her own destiny in a world where gods and men dictate the shape of things to come. But as she transforms herself from an overlooked princess into a warrior, diplomat, and most-favored queen, Kaikeyi’s will clashes with the path that has been chosen for her family—and she must decide if her resistance is worth the destruction it will wreak.

In the tradition of novels such as Madeline Miller’s Circe, KAIKEYI interrogates the role of female characters in the Indian myths, questioning where and why we draw the line between heroes and villains. When speaking about her inspiration for writing this particular story, author Vaishnavi Patel says, “Among characters in the Ramayana, Kaikeyi draws the short straw. Despite the fact that her exile of Rama is what allows the rest of the epic to happen, she is cast as a petty woman acting out of jealousy. But that never sat right with me. Why would a powerful queen and warrior tear her family and kingdom apart over envy? After years of wishing for someone to explain Kaikeyi’s actions to me, I decided to write her perspective myself. I hope that in this world, her decisions might be understood, and even righteous.”

KAIKEYI is a bold and imaginative debut from a supremely talented new voice, and we are so excited to be publishing it in the spring of 2022! In the meantime, please join us in welcoming Vaishnavi to the Orbit/Redhook family. You can find her on Twitter at @VaishnaWrites and at www.vaishnavipatel.com.

Orbit US senior editor Priyanka Krishnan acquired world English rights from Lucienne Diver at The Knight Agency.

Cover Launch: THE FREE BASTARDS by Jonathan French

Following the runaway success of Jonathan French’s critically acclaimed fantasy debut, THE GREY BASTARDS, and its sequel, THE TRUE BASTARDS, comes the third comes the third and final novel in the Lot Lands series, THE FREE BASTARDS. Feast your eyes on the epic cover below, designed by Larry Rostant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lot Lands series has taken the fantasy world by storm with its brilliant bawdy characters, bloodthirsty action, exhilarating pace and sharp-as-hell sense of humour. And the half-orcs have come on quite the journey since this series began with THE GREY BASTARDS.

Now, in this hugely dramatic third and final book, Oats will take centre stage and events are about to reach a crescendo. Bastards fans – saddle up and get ready for one hell of a ride. THE FREE BASTARDS publishes in September 2021 and is available for pre-order now.

If you haven’t encountered the hog-mounted half-orcs known as the Bastards yet, it’s time you made their acquaintance. Check out the first two novels in the Lot Lands series below. And as the saying goes:

LIVE IN THE SADDLE, DIE ON THE HOG.

THE GREY BASTARDS | THE TRUE BASTARDS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Praise for the Lot Lands:

‘An addictively readable – and undeniably cool – fantasy masterwork’ Kirkus

‘A gritty adventure with a fantastic, foul-mouthed voice’ Django Wexler

‘Jonathan French has to be lauded for his plot ingenuity, bawdry charm and vicious characters.’ Fantasy Book Critic

‘I’d like to raise a tankard to The Grey Bastards‘ brilliance’ Fantasy Faction

Jonathan French is on Twitter @JFrenchAuthor

Cover Launch: THE BROKEN GOD by Gareth Hanrahan

With his debut novel, THE GUTTER PRAYER, Gareth Hanrahan took the fantasy world by storm, introducing a world of sorcerers and thieves, dark magic and dangerous gods.

The epic tale will continue in THE BROKEN GOD (US|UK|ANZ), the gripping third novel in the Black Iron Legacy and we’re thrilled to reveal the stunning cover below:

Illustration by Thea Dumitriu
Design by Sophie Harris

ENTER A CITY OF DRAGONS AND DARKNESS

The Godswar has come to Guerdon, dividing the city between three occupying powers. A fragile armistice holds back the gods, but other dangerous forces seek to exert their influence. Spar Idgeson, once heir to the brotherhood of thieves has been transformed into the living stone of the new city. But his powers are failing and the criminal dragons of the Ghierdana are circling.

Meanwhile, far across the sea, Carillon Thay – once a thief, a saint, a god killer; now alone and powerless – seeks the mysterious land of Khebesh, desperate to find a cure for Spar. But what hope does she have when even the gods seek vengeance against her?

The Broken God will hit shops in May, so if you haven’t discovered the magic of The Black Iron Legacy yet there’s still time to dive in! The first two books are available in paperback, ebook and audio, read by the wonderful John Banks.

Gutter PrayerShadow Saint

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Praise for The Black Iron Legacy:

‘I want [this series] to go on forever’ The Fantasy Inn
‘Ground breaking and extraordinary’ Peter McLean, author of Priest of Bones
‘Captivating’ Nicholas Eames
‘Mind-blowingly stellar in every respect’ Novel Notions
‘I flat out adore this series’ BookNest.net
‘A gripping, darkly inventive tale’ James Islington
‘Masterful drama, expert dialogue, brilliant characters’ Fantasy Book Review
‘A mercurial masterpiece . . . Astounding’ Fantasy Hive
‘A brilliant, imaginative debut’ Fantasy Book Critic

 

About the author:

Gareth Hanrahan’s three-month break from computer programming to concentrate on writing has now lasted fifteen years and counting. He’s written more gaming books than he can readily recall, by virtue of the alchemical transmutation of tea and guilt into words. He lives in Ireland with his wife and three children.

Follow him on Twitter at @mytholder.

Cover Launch: SHARDS OF EARTH by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Arthur C. Clarke award-winning author, Adrian Tchaikovsky has written his most visionary and exciting space opera yet. The start of a new series, SHARDS OF EARTH is a tale of ancient alien enemies, heroes long forgotten, and a strange artifact buried on the far outskirts of space that could harbinger a new intergalactic war. This sparkling, inventive novel for fans of James S. A. Corey and John Scalzi is a joy from start to finish and sure to be on your shelf of all-time space opera greats! While you wait for it to publish on August 3rd, check out the book’s incredible cover!

Cover Design © Steve Stone

The war is over. Its heroes forgotten. Until one chance discovery . . .

Idris has neither aged nor slept since they remade him in the war. And one of humanity’s heroes now scrapes by on a freelance salvage vessel, to avoid the attention of greater powers.

After earth was destroyed, mankind created a fighting elite to save their species, enhanced humans such as Idris. In the silence of space they could communicate, mind-to-mind, with the enemy. Then their alien aggressors, the Architects, simply disappeared – and Idris and his kind became obsolete.

Now, fifty years later, Idris and his crew have discovered something strange abandoned in space. It’s clearly the work of the Architects – but are they returning? And if so, why? Hunted by gangsters, cults and governments, Idris and his crew race across the galaxy hunting for answers. For they now possess something of incalculable value, that many would kill to obtain.

Acquisition Announcement: ONE DARK WINDOW by Rachel Gillig

My magic moves. My magic bites. My magic soothes. My magic frights. You are young, and not so bold. I am unflinching—five hundred years old.

Like an epic ballad or a passed-down spell, Rachel Gillig’s debut fantasy ONE DARK WINDOW bewitched us completely. Orbit is thrilled to have acquired this lush, atmospheric fantasy and its sequel, perfect for readers of Uprooted and The Year of the Witching. Read on for more about this gorgeously dark fantasy with gothic inspirations:

Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.

But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. And the highwayman? He just so happens to be the King’s nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder…and guilty of high treason.

He and Elspeth have until Solstice to gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly, darkly, taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.

Get excited for ONE DARK WINDOW to publish in winter 2022, and in the meantime give a warm welcome to author Rachel Gillig on Instagram @rmgillig, Twitter @rachelgillig, and her website rachelgillig.com!

ICYMI: THE BODY SCOUT by Lincoln Michel

Orbit is thrilled to share the cover for Lincoln Michel’s diamond-sharp sci-fi neo-noir, THE BODY SCOUT. When his brother is murdered at home plate, a hardboiled baseball scout will have to plumb the underbelly of a New York transformed by climate change body modification to get revenge—but this is a game far bigger and more dangerous than he could have imagined.

Lithub unveiled the striking cover for The Body Scout, designed by Orbit’s own Lauren Panepinto, along with an early excerpt—click through for a sneak peek of the first chapter!

The Body Scout will be out in print, ebook, and audio in October. Read on for a short description of this unmissable near-future thriller:

In the future you can have anybody you want–as long as you can afford it.

In a New York ravaged by climate change and repeat pandemics, Kobo is barely scraping by. He scouts the latest in gene-edited talent for Big Pharma-owned baseball teams, but his own cybernetics are a decade out of date and twin sister loan sharks are banging down his door. Things couldn’t get much worse.

Then his adoptive brother—Monsanto Mets slugger J.J. Zunz—is murdered at home plate.

Determined to find the killer, Kobo plunges into a world of genetically modified CEOs, philosophical Neanderthals, and back-alley body modification, only to quickly find he’s in a game far bigger and more corrupt than he imagined. To keep himself together while the world is falling apart, he’ll have to navigate a time when both body and soul are sold to the highest bidder.

Diamond-sharp and savagely wry, The Body Scout is a timely science fiction thriller set in an all-too-possible future.

 

 

Cover Launch: WE CRY FOR BLOOD by Devin Madson

Devin Madson’s bold and brutal epic fantasy series continues with the action-packed third novel, WE CRY FOR BLOOD. If you like your fantasy with “feudal political maneuvering, shifting alliances, and visceral descriptions of combat and its aftermath” (Booklist), you’ll want to snap this up when it publishes in August 2021!

Cover illustration by Nico Delort; Cover design by Lisa Marie Pompilio

Ambition and schemes have left the Kisian Empire in ashes. Empress Miko Ts’ai will have to move fast if she hopes to secure a foothold in its ruins. However, the line between enemies and allies may not be as clear-cut as it first appeared.

After failing to win back his Swords, former Captain Rah e’Torin finds shelter among the Levanti deserters. But his presence in the camp threatens to fracture the group, putting him on a collision course with their enigmatic leader.

Assassin Cassandra Marius knows Leo Villius’s secret—one that could thwart his ambitions to conquer Kisia. But her time in Empress Hana’s body is running out and each attempt they make to exploit Leo’s weakness may be playing into his plans.

And, as Leo’s control over the Levanti emperor grows, Dishiva e’Jaroven is caught in his web. To successfully challenge him, she’ll have to decide how many of her people are worth sacrificing in order to win.

 

Don’t forget to check out the first two books in the Reborn Empire series if you haven’t already!

You can find Devin at her website and on Twitter.